Extensive "Previews" posted of Canon PowerShot S30 & S40 cameras!(UPDATED)By
Mike Tomkins(Tuesday, October 2, 2001 - 01:00 EDT)Dave Etchells takes a look at Canon's latest consumer digicams...Canon has really been on a roll this year, introducing more new models of digicams than at any time previously in their history, with a remarkably high and consistent level of quality across their entire line. Just when we thought they couldn't possibly have any more yet to come, they surprised us with two new models, the near-twin S30 (three megapixel) and S40 (four megapixel) models. The two new cameras fill in the higher end of their consumer line, with very full feature sets (many features being carried over from the high end G2 model) and a very sleek, rugged body styling. (High impact plastic frame, housed in a full metal jacket shell - Canon's impossible to beat when it comes to rugged, attractive camera bodies.)

The new cameras also have a bit more of a long/low body styling, keeping their cross-section pretty trim, while giving your fingers plenty of body to grab onto. The units we previewed weren't approved for use for test photos yet, but we're told production models are on their way "real soon", so we should have test photos for you to look at pretty shortly. In the meantime, read our full preview articles on the PowerShot S30 and PowerShot S40 for all the details!UPDATED 2001-10-02 01:17ET: Our friends at the other digital imaging sites have all posted news of their own this evening, although nobody has been approved to post sample photos from the cameras yet. Jeff Keller at DCResource has a combined S30 / S40 preview, the DPReview's Phil Askey has a brief S40 preview, and Steve Sanders of Steve's Digicams has an S40 first look - all worth checking out! :)